Oil palm : Can it substitute the tropical rainforest?.
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The tropical rainforest is a reservoir of high plant and animal biodiversity, represents a large carbon store, serves as a regulator of water flow in catchments and acts to conserve soil structure, organic matter and nutrients through processes of recycling and physical protection of the landscape. It may also regulate regional climates. The area of such forest has diminished whereas that of plantation crops such as Oil palm has expanded considerably in recent years. This paper briefly examines the extent to which an oil palm plantation can serve to fulfil the natural functions of the forest. It is concluded that, provided cultural practices and management are appropriate, Gil palm can emulate the forest in many ways and in this respect is superior to many alternative agricultural uses. However, there will be an inevitable reduction in biodiversity and total carbon storage in plantations compared with forest and therefore it is important that a balance is struck between agricultural expansion and the conservation of natural forest area.
The tropical rainforest is a reservoir of high plant and animal biodiversity, represents a large carbon store, serves as a regulator of water flow in catchments and acts to conserve soil structure, organic matter and nutrients through processes of recycling and physical protection of the landscape. It may also regulate regional climates. The area of such forest has diminished whereas that of plantation crops such as Oil palm has expanded considerably in recent years. This paper briefly examines the extent to which an oil palm plantation can serve to fulfil the natural functions of the forest. It is concluded that, provided cultural practices and management are appropriate, Gil palm can emulate the forest in many ways and in this respect is superior to many alternative agricultural uses. However, there will be an inevitable reduction in biodiversity and total carbon storage in plantations compared with forest and therefore it is important that a balance is struck between agricultural expansion and the conservation of natural forest area.
The tropical rainforest is a reservoir of high plant and animal biodiversity, represents a large carbon store, serves as a regulator of water flow in catchments and acts to conserve soil structure, organic matter and nutrients through processes of recycling and physical protection of the landscape. It may also regulate regional climates. The area of such forest has diminished whereas that of plantation crops such as Oil palm has expanded considerably in recent years. This paper briefly examines the extent to which an oil palm plantation can serve to fulfil the natural functions of the forest. It is concluded that, provided cultural practices and management are appropriate, Gil palm can emulate the forest in many ways and in this respect is superior to many alternative agricultural uses. However, there will be an inevitable reduction in biodiversity and total carbon storage in plantations compared with forest and therefore it is important that a balance is struck between agricultural expansion and the conservation of natural forest area.
Palabras clave
Biodiversidad., captura de carbono, Hidrología., Reforestación., Palma de aceite